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“Not at 6.50, 6.52 – I know, it’s embarrassing but it’s all about German optimisation,” the boyish 34-year-old chief of Lidl UK says, exploding into laughter aware that he’s not doing much for Teutonic stereotypes.

The military morning routine is just one of the things that gives away how the Nuremberg-born boss has so rapidly scaled the career ladder to run the UK’s fastest-growing supermarket at a time of intense change for the grocery sector.

“I’m really amused by this obsession with my age, because my girlfriend always tells me how old I am,” the Lidl boss says, although his smiley, round face makes him look almost...